Core remote works fine.
MD's don't work at all.
The only difference is the MD's are windows transmitters, Core has a usbuirt
That difference is very important. USB-UIRT remotes don't use pluto-lirc-wrapper at all. See if package pluto-lirc-wrapper is installed. If it is, see if LIRC_DCE is running and if you have a lircd process as well. If they are running, execute irw
on the MD, then press some keys on the remote. irw
should display the keys you press. If this works, but the remote doesn't control the Orbiter, something's fishy. If anything in the checklist doesn't check out, let us know what.